The present invention relates to a front axle for motor vehicles, especially for the use for different wheel tracks, with a cross bearer secured at the vehicle body as well as with wheel guide members retained at the cross bearer by way of joints.
A front axle with a cross bearer is known from the DE-OS 37 08 037 on which a wheel guide member is pivotally connected by way of joints. The fastening of the axle at a longitudinal bearer of the motor vehicle body takes place by bolts which connect the cross bearer with its forward area directly to the vehicle body. The rear area is secured at the vehicle body at the same time with the guide member bearing support.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a front axle of the aforementioned type which can be utilized in different vehicles, especially for several wheel tracks and in which therebeyond the wheel guide unit of the axle is adapted to be moved and to be fastened at a vehicle in a simple manner whereby the wheel guide member, properly speaking, such as, for example, a triangular guide member can thereby remain connected with the wheel carrier and such wheel track changes require no significant changes in the steering arrangement.
The underlying problems are solved according to the present invention in that the cross bearer is connected at its end with a wheel guide unit which includes a wheel guide member pivotally retained at a longitudinal bearer in the joints, which is adapted to be fastened together with the longitudinal bearer as a unit at the cross bearer as well as at the vehicle body by threaded means in two track positions.
The principal advantages achieved with the present invention reside in that with a unit consisting of a longitudinal bearer as well as of a wheel guide member a utilization for vehicles having different track widths is possible in a simple manner. The attachment takes place by bolts adapted to be fastened at the rear in the cross bearer and in the front in the vehicle body. The entire front axle can also be preassembled outside of the vehicle and together with the steering arrangement can be installed into the vehicle. The cross bearer is preferably secured directly at the vehicle body and the rear end of the longitudinal bearer is connected at the cross bearer member, well accessible from the underside of the vehicle, with the vehicle body by way of bolts. The forward end of the longitudinal bearer is held directly on the body side whereby during the fastening of the longitudinal bearer the wheel guide member is pivotally connected at the same in joints. In addition to the use for two vehicles with different track widths, also a use in a vehicle is possible which is to be refitted for a different track width. A forward joint of the wheel guide member is directly connected with the longitudinal bearer by way of a bearing pin without interconnection of a bracket. A rearwardly disposed joint is retained between formed-on flanges of the longitudinal bearer. The wheel guide member is retained in a stable manner in the longitudinal and cross direction by its joint mounting as well as by the fixed connection with the cross bearer and with the vehicle body and can be installed in a simple manner by way of the few fastening bolts.
Owing to the joint elasticities in the forward joint, in particular longitudinal shocks and impacts are to be elastically absorbed whereby it permits at the same time a cross movement of the wheel guide member within limits. The rear joint forms a so-called fixed bearing with an imaginary point of rotation whereby a wheel position change in the direction of toe-out can take place especially with braking forces.
To permit an unimpaired passage of a transversely extending tie rod from the steering arrangement secured at the cross bearer to the wheel, the longitudinal bearer is provided with a corresponding cast-on through-opening which is so constructed and formed-on at the longitudinal bearer that a track adjustment is possible in a simple manner without disassembly or change of position of the steering arrangement.